Not Quite Right
by debylynn
Summary: This is my first foray as a writer, a little story about Alice, 2 years after she has slain the jabberbeastly and defeated the Red Queen. This is what happpens when Underland and the Hatter claim their champion for good.
1. Not Quite Right

AN: quite obv I do not own Alice, never will, never have, but if ya wanna sue away :) you can have my student debt:P Also, this is my first fanfic...so be kind and review and such...be nice, but honest :)

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><p>There once was a tale of girl not quite right, of a man as mad as a hatter, and the friends that saved a world.<p>

The problem with growing up, is at one point, you are supposed to put away childish things. But what if you try, try really hard…and the things simply don't let you?

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><p><span>England<span>

"I sail the seven seas blue, all in a moment simply to forget you…" Alice hummed to herself as she stood on the deck of her ship, "The White Queen," watching as the captain maneuvered them into Port Gaverne. She looked at the land with an old eye, weary of her 21 years of life. She knew what would happen when they took harbor. Her mother and sister would be waiting, trying their best not to let on how much they wished she would give up this life of an adventurer. To settle down and be a right English miss. The only problem was she was never quite right, now was she?

"Miss Kingsley?" The young captain tapped her shoulder, "Madam?"

"Captain Croft, how can I be of service?" Alice inquired keeping her eyes trained on the shore. She knew why young Croft came, he wished to call. He had tried to keep his intentions restrained while on the boat, ever aware that she was owner, but now, now they would be in England, equals as such. Alice knew she had to say no…he didn't even like tea.

"Actually madam, I was hoping to ask, if perhaps, before one of us set sail again, if it would proper for me to come to call?" Captain Croft asked. His blue eyes trained on Alice's face and his hat in hand, he hoped she'd say yes. Croft was not a bad sort, simply not the RIGHT sort. So Alice knew, she could not let him entertain such ideas, for she was not right, not right at all.

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk, Captain?" Alice turns to look at Croft and still barely sees him. It is in moments like these, when she is done with adventuring, that it is the hardest for Alice to remember, to remember the way they were, her old friends. She missed them terribly, about as much as she missed her father.

"Miss Kingsley?" Croft almost reached toward her but stopped himself. In that moment, she looked so sad, so lost, so something almost indescribable. Almost like she lost a bit of herself.

"Captian, Miss Kingsley, we are settling her in now," The first mate informed the two. Alice nodded her head and walked towards her cabin to collect the meager possession she would carry with her. Captain Croft looked at her for a moment.

"She ain't for you Capn'n," The first mate told him, shaking his head.

"Not that it is of any concern of yours, sailor, but yes she is." Croft told the impudent first mate.

"No Capn'n, she ain't. She's marked sir, already claimed and suffered for. Underland and her Hatter will have its champion, sir, best not meddle with that." The first mate told him with a nod of his head.


	2. A Council Of Sorts

AN: Okey dokey…here's chapter 2 it should be longer lol…same thing as earlier…me no own, just borrow to play Also…Im writing as I go…beyond the whole AliceXHatter thing…I have no plans

Underland

A council has convened in the castle of the White Queen to discuss what was brewing. Absolem, the Blue Caterpillar, had come back to Underland, his life recycling as it had done as long as there had been an Underland.

"We'll need Alice." The Dormouse pronounced slamming her pin sword onto the table. All eyes turned to The Mad Hatter, waiting. Generally, when someone spoke of Alice, one of three things would happen. Either he would he look downcast and walk away, or he'd throw a teacup, or if it had been an especially painful day, his eyes would storm gold and a Scottish brogue could be heard muttering about girls taking what not belongs and leaving. Today though, today was serious and as such, one cannot tip toe around the mad, no matter what they have done for you.

"If she hasn't lost her muchness," The Hatter muttered shaking his head. He knew that the longer Alice remained Aboveland, the more she would lose things like muchness and madness and all the things that made her, well, made her Alice.

"Bayard? What say you? Has Gunnarr returned with news? Has Alice lost her muchness?" The White Queen asked the older soldier. All eyes swiveled to Bayard except the Hatter. He mumbled into his tea, losing himself in the liquid fire. The White Rabbit looked at his pocket watch, knowing something was happening but not knowing what…or was it whom.

"Majesty, Gunnarr hasn't returned. Last I heard though, Alice had changed. Something broken, but Gunnarr doesn't know. Sometimes she looks at him though, as if she knows, as if she can see through your potion, and other times…other times she hides away with a tea pot," Bayard said this last part as he looked at the Hatter. Bayard came from a long line of Trackers. His son was better than him, as he was better than his father. To Bayard, he never understood why the 2 legged allowed things to be lost, why they didn't keep. But he knew the look in the Hatter's eyes, always half way between gold and green now. He knew because once he lost what was his. He knew the madness that comes. And that Hatter had already been mad.

"Hmmm….Alice is coming…" the Cat popped up, floating from chair to chair, a smile on his feline face.

"Ah, Hush it and awa' n bile yer heid!" The Hatter yelled as he flung a teapot at the Cheshire Cat…or where the cat should have been.

The group watched as the Hatter and the Cat played their game of sorts with each other. The enraged Hatter throwing bits and bobs and the Cat swirling this and that. Cheshire always coveted what was the Hatter, it was a quirk of their strange friendship, but where Alice was concerned…well Cat never got away with speaking her name.

"Dear Hatter, Absolem was very adamant about this, Alice is indeed coming back. It was written in the Orcalum…and the Orcalum is very nearly, never wrong" The White Queen stood, dancing to the side to avoid a poorly aimed teacup.

"Alert your mate Bayard, your boy will be coming home soon."

AN: The chapters will be short till Alice returns. I think its quite obvious who Gunnarr is

Also "awa' n bile yer heid" is "go and boil your head" in a very thick Scottish brogue ;)


	3. The Chase

AN: Yay at least 2 other people are as curious about the characters that are whispering sweet nothings in my ear I hope I do not disappoint SO I own nada…except Croft and Gunnarr :P I made them…and they are playing like good little boys

England

"Now Alice, I know you are busy, doing things, but really there is no call to be rude. The man has come to visit 3 times! I mean honestly he isn't here for Mother and our tea," Margaret lectured Alice as she stood in the study pouring over a map. Alice made a noncommittal sound as she grabbed a pencil to write down a fleeting thought. Alice found she did this more and more, the writing of thoughts. It helped, when in the wee hours of morning and she couldn't sleep because she felt like she was supposed to be doing something…anything, to go back and see if perhaps she missed something. It never was there. It was a tease, a brief explanation with no real substance, a mere taste of what was slipping.

"Alice. Come downstairs. Please."

Alice merely ignored Margaret. She had the sense, that someone was watching, or coming. Something was beyond the sphere of her vision, poking, prodding, pulling at her mind, her soul, her very being.

"Alice. Father would like him…" Margaret came round the desk to clasp her sister's shoulders and look into those distracted orbs, so much like her father's. Margaret felt like she was losing Alice, more so then when she left for China or the East Indies. She knew with a sense of certainty, that if Alice didn't allow the dashing captain to court her, woo her, and instead traipsed off on another adventure, then this time she would lose Alice, her lovely little sister, and Margaret's last connection to her father.

"I cannot Margaret, he doesn't even like tea!" Alice pleaded with Margaret, jerking from her grasp. Alice felt like a rag doll that was becoming undone. She knew she needed to escape, run away, for if she stayed, if she let young Croft swoop her off her feet, she'd lose it all…and her last piece to father.

"Alice, it's time to stop. Stop talking in half sense, stop galloping round the world like a boy, stop trying to be father. Mother cannot stand it, and I can no longer sit by while you constantly endanger yourself. It's time to grow up, to put away childish things, to marry and be respectable." Margaret said firmly, desperately. She was worried. What if Alice was already lost? She couldn't lose Alice. She was the last light in her otherwise miserable life. She knew of Lowell's affairs and was not she terribly surprised. It was so unoriginal as to be sad, practically expected in their world.

"Margaret. Stop. You cannot…you just cannot!" Alice practically yelled. There was an itching at her scalp, that's what it was. It itched, and she needed it to stop if she was to make sense. So Alice ran. She ran much like she had 2 years ago, on that fateful day when her life began and she truly knew what it was to believe in six unimaginable things before breakfast.

"Count them, Alice. One, there are drinks that make you shrink. Two, there are foods that make you grow. Three, animals can talk. Four, cats can disappear. Five, there is a place called Underland. Six, I…" Alice was counting to herself when she saw a man on the outskirts of her property. He looked like the First Mate from her ship, but why would he be here? Alice raced after him, grateful she was still wearing her sailing clothes so she was not tripping on unnecessary things like skirts, petticoats, or unable to breath due to the evils of a corset. Passing out while giving chase was never fun. For a moment a smile, which the Cheshire would have been sure to admire, came across Alice's face as she remembered another time she chased something through the wood, leading to an adventure of untold imaginings in an impossible land.

The First Mate stopped and turned to see if Alice was following, and in that moment he saw the smile, the Cheshire smile. No wonder the Hatter was entranced, it was a mad, bad, incredibly Alice sort of smile that led you to believe in things, things like defeated Jabberwockys and banished Big Heads. It was as he was standing there watching Alice run to him that he felt the magic fade and he for one was grateful it was time. He was tired of drinking severed toes and tongues of toads.

Alice looked up a giggle of madness boiling in her throat when she saw the First Mate throw his head back a howl a sound, much like Bayard's in fact. And then in that moment, he fell, to his knees, as something happened. Her first mate, was turning, well he was turning into a dog. A very pained dog, to be certain. Alice hurried to the man…well now, dog.

"Well, you are quite obviously not just my First Mate are you?" Alice asked the dog. She was only half expecting him to answer, because well, animals may be able to turn to humans in England, but only in Underland could they talk.

"No, Lady Alice, I have come for you though, since you were lost." The dog answered her. Alice eyebrows raised and she looked down at the dog.

"Well, they could have sent the White Rabbit."

AN: I hope y'all like it look at that…it's a bit longer. And we are getting closer poppets! Hmm how shall the Hatter react to they very much muchy Alice?


	4. Topsy Turvy

AN: They are keeping me up…so here I am writing another chapter lol I do not own Alice or The Hatter or anything else. But I'll be playing with them. And they've become friends with my little friends, Croft and Gunnarr

Underland

"Alice is here." The Cheshire Cat told the council.

"Are you sure, it is the right Alice? Because if it's the wrong Alice…" The White Rabbit questioned. He still felt late, was he late for Alice? He looked at the Hatter wondering. Where was the March Hare…crazy thing should be here distracting him. His eyes are gold, oh no…Cheshire should really stop saying her name, even if she was here.

"Course it is the Right Alice," Bayard grunted, glowering at the White Rabbit. A Tracker was always right. Unless they wanted to be wrong.

"It's time then, let us go meet our Champion," The White Queen stood and the others followed, traveling to the tree room, waiting, watching.

"Really? I have to shrink and stretch all over again? Can I not just leave?" They heard Alice ask. They knew her to be eating cakes and swallowing potions, going through the formalities as such in order to be granted access. The Hatter looked pained as if he wondered, was she the Right Alice or was she all Wrong again. She sounded right, she remembered at least. Or did she remember but did not know?

It was in that moment that a very peeved Alice with torn clothes, walked out of the room with young Gunnarr next to her. Her hair was longer, even more tangled, a living part of Alice. Her clothes all pale blue and ripped looked like nothing an Alice had worn. It was her eyes though, the eye shown with a kind of Alice they had yet to see.

The Hatter drew himself up and in his most enraged voice yelled at the Alice, "Och, ye give it back, rite now!"

Alice stopped short staring at him, all golden eyes and rumbled fury. His suit was all colors and patterns and the ever loyal hat, 6/10 card and long ribbon, atop his lovely, wild hair. For the first time, in a long time, the itching stop, the whispers quieted, and she knew she never should've left. She should have listened to that mad and crazy man with his wonderful ideas.

The Council stood staring at the two, concern marring their faces, all but the White Queen, she had the serene smile of one that knew that all of her subjects were home and safe…at least as safe as you can be in Underland.

"I'm sorry my dear Hatter, but I cannot, you see I have no idea of which you speak." Alice said, at once saddened by her dear friend's reaction to her arrival. She didn't understand why the Hatter hated her so, or what she was to give back, for she had taken nothing with her when she left.

"Och, the git knows not what she's done! Guddler's scut!" The Hatter shouted, enraged that she was standing there calm as could be. Did she not feel it too? The ripping at one's soul, the agony at the back of the mind, taunting the edges of the mind, whispering of grand adventures if only she'd see. The council looked between the two, wondering if she saw or if he knew, despair tearing at the two, with no real answer.

"Tarrant, we have work to attend, the trading of possessions shall have to wait," The White Queen intoned to the Hatter, almost resting a hand on his shoulder, hoping he could reign himself in a bit before he became completely undone.

The Dormouse, Mallymkun, saw Alice flinch at the exchange, the easy intimacy between the two, the using of names long forgotten. Mallymkun knew in a flash that Alice saw but didn't see. She thought the love that fairly vibrated from the Hatter was for the White Queen and in that moment it seemed almost as if Alice collapsed, as if a final part of her soul broke off and floated away.

"Catch her Hatter," The Cheshire told him. Hatter took one long step and grabbed Alice. And Alice, for the first time, in a very long time, fainted dead away, the breaking of one's heart too much even for a champion to take, even if the breaking was only a misunderstanding.

"We should take her back to Marmoreal, she will need to be told, and she will need to decide," The White Queen says, turning to start the journey.

"Majesty, there is a man -" Gunnarr starts, then hears the growl from the Hatter. Gunnarr has been told by Bayard of the Hatter's desire. He hated being the one to tell, but rules have to be followed. Alice has to choose, Hatter and Underland or Croft and Aboveland. They could take her no further till she had, or they'd be as bad as the Banished Big Head. Alice has to choose, though Gunnarr had no real doubt what Alice would decide.

"A man, you say, well she truly is stupid," Absolem spoke between the puffs on his pipe. He looked almost bored, but in truth, he was worried. Something was happening in Underland, something the likes of which none of them had ever seen. The potions of Mirana, the power of the Champion, these may not be strong enough. It may take something more, something only an Alice could harness…but if there men all about, well…one cannot have both a Man and a Hatter.

"Och she's gone and thieved then lied, lil lass be nothing but-"

"STOP!" Alice yelled, her hands covering her ears. The world was all topsy turvy and now her first mate, really was a Tracker, a son of Bayard and apparently she had stolen from Hatter, what she did not know, Absolem thought she was stupid again, and the White Queen was looking at her like there was a fly in her milk. All around her they are yelling about a man, which there wasn't, but if there was, what it would matter?

"Alice, tell us true, have you given your heart to a Aboveland man?" Dormouse asked, wringing her hands, eyes shooting back and forth between Tarrant and Alice.

"No, Mallymkun, there is no man Above waiting for me," Alice whispered. She looked at her merry band of friends, finally resting her eyes on her Hatter. No, there was no way for her to give her heart, when Tarrant Hightopp, the Mad Hatter, held it in Underland for these 2 years.

AN: 1,100 words I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, perhaps because in my heart of hearts I couldn't imagine Tarrant really being so cross with dear Alice, but I need them to be a bit more clueless, see the Hatter knows HE loves Alice, but how could an Alice love a Mad Hatter…oh well, review poppets and reprimand me if you feel I have lost my way, but please be gentle


	5. Black Knight

AN: Oh my dear Lydia you are my favorite reader and I thank you for all of your encouragement

England

As Croft walked back from the Kinsleigh's residence he wandered what kept compelling him to go, even when she refused him. What was it about her? Alice Kingsleigh bewitched his mind and tortured his soul, but refused to grant him audience. Refused to see him.

"Cheeky lil witch is she…" a lone voice spoke out. Croft looked around him, searching for the source. Was it just a passing man? It had to be, no one could know of Alice and his troubles.

"She stole the tarts then refused to play. Thinks she's smart and strong, running around like a White Knight, forgets she's just a little girl…" the eerie voice whispered out. Croft's head swung left and right, his hand clutching his walking stick tighter, almost like a sword.

"Shhhh silly man, I'm here for you," the voice whispered. Before Croft's very eyes was a woman as beautiful as she was terrible. Black soulless eyes set in skin so pale it was almost blue, hair hanging in midnight black waves around her shoulders. She cocked her to the side, her ethereal body floating a bit to the side. In that instant, Croft knew, with an almost slavish quality, that he would follow her till the end of her days. She commanded him, almost as if by magic.

"Dear sweet Croft, come with me, follow me to the cracks and we will take a kingdom and crush the Alice," the Woman whispered walking around Croft, her being and smell transfixing him, making reason leave his mind. Somewhere within him, another voice whispered that this was madness but it was silence by an airy touch.

Before Croft could think, he followed the mystery woman, over the hill and through the wood till he came to a cottage. Dawn was breaking through, and with its light it almost seemed like the fog around him was burning off, but before he could completely free himself from the entrancement of the Woman, he found himself looking in a mirror.

"Jump through pet, come and by my Knight," the voice called to him. With nary a thought, Croft jumped through and to the Woman who haunted his mind.

Underland

"And on this day, darkness shall come, the likes of which Underland has ever known. On the battle field we shall go, to fight, A White Knight shall be Lost and a Black Knight shall rule the land," Absolem intoned in a swirling mist.

It has begun.

AN: It's a short one….things are happening poppets…things are happening


	6. Outerlands

AN: Couple of shot outs, to Lydia I love ur reviews, seriously its awesome. To Valerie, aw thank you poppet! I am sure there are plenty of wonderful writers though and to my Bethyloo…I'll be your Hatter if you'll be my Alice ;)

Underland-Outerland

"Iracebeth, did you feel that?" Stayne, the Knave of Hearts asked his former Queen. He hated it here, banished to the outlands, far from civilization with the crazy big headed woman. They were chained together, never allowed to leave the other's side, a poetic twist on the evils they had wrought together. He turned to the shorter woman, with the unfortunate head, looked at how fall she had fallen. Her hair red hair hung limp and tattered, her make up runny and sad. The once proud queen looked much like a beggar and she sat unmoving.

"Felt what Stayne?" Iracebethe asked. Her eyes didn't look at his as they once may have. On the Frabjous Day, he had killed what life she had in her. She knew she was bad, that she could never undo what she did. But she did it because she wanted people to love her, instead of her sister…her sister with the normal head. She knew what her parents thought, what her friends thought. How unfortunate that she was not more like Mirana. It was in the dark of the night, when she was crying because she heard someone talking of the young princesses bulbous head that the whispers started. A voice telling her what to do, how to make Mirana disappear. It was the same voice that warned her of her husband's future infidelity. Only, after the Frabjous Day, even the voice left her.

"It felt like something was coming…" Stayne answered. He felt hopeful. Maybe the queen changed her mind. Maybe he was here to rescue him, because a forever stuck next to this pathetic, shrew of a woman was more than he could stand.

Iracebeth cocked her head, in a way almost mirroring her sister's and listened to the wind. Mirana may have scoffed at her study of Dominion Over All Living Things, but in a way it was very helpful, for she could feel when something came, if it had a heartbeat that is. It was faint, a thrumming, much like that of hummingbird, almost as if it was something changing.

"It seems something has come Stayne, something not quite alive." Iracebeth laid down, her head pressed to the earth. She once would have scoffed at where she was now, but 2 years chained to a man who once tried to kill you, well that can change oneself. She was not even half of what she once was.

Underland-Marmoreal

"Dear Alice, It is so good you have come, for we are quite in need of our Champion." The White Queen told Alice as she stood behind a screen. Once again, Alice was being strapped into her armor, the trusty Vorbal sword almost humming next to her.

"What's happened now, Majesty? Has the Red Queen escaped the Outlands? And why is the Hatter so cross?" Alice asked. She wished for once she could come for a visit without slaying being involved. She needed Tarrant not to be so cross at her. She had missed him most of all.

"Tarrant is fine…it's hard when one is in love," the White Queen murmured. For a second, Alice's heart seized. Was he mad that Alice had come because he was in love with the queen? Is that what he thought? That Alice had stolen his ability to protect the woman he loved? For a second, Alice had trouble breathing, being, as if the world ended.

"Oh…I can only imagine. How long?" Alice forced herself to ask. Perhaps she was a masochist. Perhaps she enjoyed flaying herself, or maybe she still had hope that she was somehow wrong.

"Hmmm, I think perhaps he has known for sure since Frabjous Day, but it had in fact been growing for quite some time," Mirana said, picking up odds and ends, almost listening to them. She danced about the room waiting for Alice to be ready to meet the council and decide what needed to be done.

So that was that then, Alice thought. It made since, she was just a silly girl from Aboveland, never quite right, always forgetting her muchiness. Mirana was queen, a beautiful lady. They would be happy together. In that moment Alice knew she would do anything to ensure that the Hatter and the White Queen were safe, that Underland was safe. If she could not have Tarrant herself, then at least she could protect him. And perhaps now, when she returned home, perhaps she would answer Croft's call. He may not be quite right, but then, obviously she was not either.

AN: Poor Red Queen…I always felt like she had potential for redemption. Even before she lost the war she was beginning to question her path. And poor Alice, thinking that the Hatter and the Queen had a crazy love happening…poor girl…and I do not think I shall give her relief for some time…also, Lydia…sorry but the Woman is not the Red Queen, but something else entirely

Also, Poppets, PLEASE review I need to know if I am still staying on track or if I need to shake myself


	7. A Who? Or A What?

AN: Alrighty poppets, this has been a hard chapter. Feel free to hate it and yell at me….I can take it

Underland-Marmoreal

"It must be the Red Queen, who else?" Mallymkun argued her fist shaking at Chess. That man-cat infuriated her sometimes. And truth be told, she never quite trusted him. Sometimes he would smile at her, and the look in his eyes made her feel like he wanted to gobble her up. Well, try it Cat…she'd at least take an eyeball with her before she go.

"Why must it be a Who? Could it be a What? Simple little Dormouse, not everything must be a Queenly threat to be a threat," Chess drawled. He loved to infuriate the little Dormouse, Mallymkun. She almost sparkled when she was so mad. Mallymkun had so much…Mallymkun-ness in her little body he was always surprised she hadn't burst yet.

"Ahem, so I understand? You know you NEED a Champion, but not for what?" Alice tentatively asked. This council of sort had been arguing back and forth for hours it seemed. The Hatter had imbibed more tea then seemed safe and the Hare had already disappeared under the table after breaking countless cups. Alice needed a break, a break from the madness she told herself, not the glances that the White Queen kept shooting at Hatter, the glances so full of concern, as if prompting him to do something. Alice kept telling herself she needed a break, because it had been a very big couple of days, not because her heart was breaking or something. Or was it nothing? She grimaced to herself, if it was a nothing she needn't need a break…or perhaps it was shouldn't? Great, the Hatter seemed to have infected her brain pan, interrupting her thoughts. Cursed man, bad enough her emotions were all twisted in him, but now, her thoughts as well. Perhaps if she wrote them down…

Tarrant saw Alice reaching for something in to her side, and then saw her face fall. It was something she had been doing every now and then throughout the meeting, as if something was missing. Something must have been because since she came back from her rooms with the White Queen she seemed dimmer, less muchy…less shiny. A growl threatened to rip through his throat, but he thought, perhaps she missed this Aboveland Man that Gunnarr had mentioned. He couldn't possibly be worthy of the Alice. She was Alice, a champion, the bravest, best girl, no woman that he had ever met. She cared about everyone, risked her life for people who were essentially strangers to her. Showed kindness to a Bandersnatch, which no one had ever thought to do, and then risked her life again for a land that wasn't even her home. Yes Alice was truly amazing and no way could an Aboveland man ever really know how amazing and wonderful she really was. She didn't even know half the time. Well, if it was a fight that he wanted, well he'd fight the curr…and win…because he wanted Alice with his entire troubled mind.

Underland-Outerlands

Croft found himself in a dismal place walking among shadows and whispers. The Woman who had led him here was gone; leaving him feeling like his heart was beating too fast. He was confused and scattered. He couldn't accidently remember what he was doing before getting here, in fact he could barely remember what life was like before meeting the Woman. He knew he was Croft, and he knew he was from England…but beyond that, it was very hazy, feelings of frustration, unhappiness, always waiting was all he knew for certain. It was like he was waiting for life to start, or waiting for the Woman in order for life to start. He found himself roaming now, this new terrain. She told him to find the key, but what it was, he did not know. All he knew was it was in a heart. And if needed, he was to kill the carrier. For the Woman…anything for the Woman.

AN: It's short I know…but, I feel like I'm better on track and I'll most likely update again…once or twice tonight lol. My chapters may be short, but when you get like 2-3 a day, can you really complain ;) well poppets, the sooner you review, the sooner I know I'm not being led astray


	8. An Unlikely Sacrifice

AN: CHARACTER DEATH! Ok, you have been warned… so sorry…

Outerlands 

"Stayne…do you ever regret what we did?" Iracebeth asked, looking at the man for the first time in a long time. He had grown a haphazard beard since being here, and his face was gaunt and weary. She knew he hated being here, especially chained to her. He had made that quite clear when he tried to drive a dagger into her heart. At first she had hated him, but then she realized that in a way she deserved it. Her husband had been betrayed by her; why not get her just desserts. Some days she wished he had succeeded and others she was glad he hadn't, she didn't deserve death…and then other days, even though she knew that all they ever had was false, she was still happy to be here with him.

"Yes, in a way. You didn't make me do those things, though at first I told myself you did. There is a darkness in me Iracebeth, a darkness I thought was in you as well," Stayne answered. He focused his eyes on the horizon, another sunset in the Outerlands. He knew Iracebeth wasn't the same woman she once was. The Frabjous Day saved her in a way. On the path she was on, she would have been consumed by evil, his and hers. But now, now she seemed to truly regret everything, like the darkness that he thought was a companion to his own had evaporated. No, he felt little regret towards his victims, but plenty of regret towards her.

"Stayne…I love you, I needed you to know that. And please, if you have any kind of feeling for me…when you are freed, run and warn my sister. It's all I can do to make amends." Iracebeth pleaded with Stayne. He looked sharply down on her and watched the tears slide down her face, but her eyes, her eyes that looked so full of a deadly kind of knowledge captivated him and for a second he saw how truly beautiful she was, in her own way.

"Iracebeth, what are you…"Stayne asked reaching towards her when he saw the figure coming towards them from the darkness. He understood then, she felt him coming and thought that he would let this mystery man kill her. Well he did feel something for her, and for once, he was going to defend someone.

"Who are you?" Stayne called out pushing Iracebeth behind him, drawing his sword. He was at once grateful that the White Queen had allowed him the small favor of granting him his weapons once she had magicked them to be unable to harm her sister.

"I'm here for the key behind the heart," the Stranger answered also drawing a thin, sharp blade. His eyes narrowed on Stayne's eye patch and Stayne knew only one would be getting out of this alive. He needed to get Iracebeth away from here, but how? He couldn't break the chain connecting him, even though he had tried to on several occasions. The stranger didn't rush at him, simply stared and he knew then. This was it, time to pay the piper.

"Iracebeth, I want you to run. Go to your sister. I will amend everything. I love you Iracebeth, in my own twisted way," Stayne whispered softly, tempting fate and glancing down at her. Who would've thought…so much had changed in two years. Without further explanation he gripped the sword and brought it down swiftly and hard on his wrist. Strangely he didn't feel much pain. Was it the shock? But then he looked at his Queen, saw her muttering and knew she was for once using her powers to stop the pain rather than cause it.

"Well that seemed foolish…" the Stranger quipped, settling on his back leg.

"Run Iracebeth!" Stayne yelled, darting forward in an attempt to catch the man off guard. The man quickly blocked the move, and they began a dance as old as time. Parry, thrust, block, hit, back and forth they went, but Stayne knew it was hopeless. He was losing blood quickly and his soldier side knew that in freeing Iracebeth he had doomed himself. He didn't care though. She would be safe and at least he would have redeemed himself a bit. Always knew he would go out in battle was his last thought as he felt the man's blade slice into his slide.

Iracebeth watched Stayne fall and felt herself start to cry again. She wanted to fall down and weep but knew she needed to get to Marmoreal and warn Mirana. After that she would let the grief take over.

The Mist

"My love, I have brought you the heart," Croft called to the Fog dropping the corpse to the ground. He peered into the gloom hoping that she would reward him with a glance into her hypnotic eyes again.

"You're wrong, dear one, you were tricked. You let the key go," the Woman's angry voice hissed out. Lost was the melody that bewitched him, replaced by a hoarse voice. He felt a searing pain in his head and knew he was being punished.

"Find her beloved, find the Key!" the Woman yelled out.

What Croft hadn't noticed yet was the lettering written out on his hand, scarred in. It read,

"Stayne, Knave of Hearts"

AN: Ok, Ok, I killed Stayne and scarred Croft, I know I know. A few fans thought when I wrote, "A black Knight shall rule the land" I meant him, but sorry to bust your bubbles lol well as Lydia will say, you can never really guess what shall happen. And sorry if my battle scene was eh…I don' t have a lot of experience writing that sort…


	9. A Misunderstanding of Sorts

AN: Hmmmm…..no more Stayne, how sad…maybe I should have made the categories Romance/Angst…seems to be a lot of sad days…almost makes me wanna fix Hatter and Alice…ALMOST ;)

Underland

It struck Iracebeth as ironic that two years later she would be sneaking through Underland in an attempt to warn her sister of a threat not only to her reign, but also Underland. Seems things have really gone round the bend. But oh how she wished Stayne was still here. She had tried to will his body to twist and turn, avoid the blade, avoid the pain, but in the end, not even her power was enough to save him. And that man, that slayer, he would pay. There was still enough darkness in her heart to gleefully contemplate her revenge.

Marmoreal

Alice stood at the balcony much as she had 2 years ago when she was contemplated her role on Frabjous Day, only this time instead of busying her mind with thoughts of if and why and how all she could think of was the Hatter. She should be happy for him, he was her very dear friend, and at last perhaps he could put the events of Horunvendosh Day and all the days after during the Red Queen's terrible reign. Still, her heart was breaking, and it was most unpleasant.

"Alice, I have a very important question to ask you," Chess's voice announced. Alice didn't bother turning her head, knowing if, or when he wanted to appear, that he would. Not for the first time, Alice wished she had evaporating skills.

"Are all Aboveland as moronic as you or is it a special gift?" Chess' grin appeared. It was very mocking, a mean Chess grin, as if A Stupid Alice was very much amusing to him. Alice found herself glaring at a grin and for a second she found herself thinking how very much she didn't find this odd. It simply was. Perhaps she shouldn't return to Aboveland, even if Tarrant didn't love her, she was useless up there.

"I think it is a unique skill all my own Chess," Alice answered tears starting to form. She hated how much she was crying over this. It grated her, and she could almost hear the Hatter's voice in her head, remarking how very much unlike Alice she was being.

"You love him a great deal don't you," Chess whispered coming to rest in front of her. Alice gave him a sad smile, nodding her head as a couple of more tears fell from her eyes. She knew she didn't need to specify whom. Chess had a way of knowing things, much like Abasolem. At the thought of the Blue Caterpillar, Alice gave a wet sounding chuckle hearing inside her mind, "Tears never solved anything," Abasolem wasn't here though, he had departed a short while ago saying he needed to consort with Underland and the Oraculum in order to gain more information on this new threat.

"I know it's not the time, Underland is being attacked and we could all be in very grave danger, but he was all I thought of these two years, I was hoping when I returned, but I see I was wrong," Alice sobbed holding onto Chess and burying her head into his neck.

Tarrant's eyes flashed at the scene in front of his eyes, watching Alice cry into the Cat's side. He gripped the door and fought the urge to go and attacked the beast. It was the Hat all over again. Anything Hatter loved, or wanted, Cheshire just had to have. Evil double crossing slurvish slurking urpal slackush scrum! He wouldn't lose her to an Abovelander and he would most certainly not lose her to that cowardly cat!

"Alice, the Queen be looking fer yer," Hatter called from the doorway in an angry brogue. He didn't look at her but instead looked at Chess who had an almost scared guilty look on his face. It wasn't going to work this time, Hatter was barely containing himself so angry was he. He had been miserable these past two years, being tormented with thought of Alice, arguing with himself over whether or not he was good enough for her, and now…NOW he was unable to tell how he felt between the threat, the Abovelander and Chess…it was enough to make a saner man cross.

"Oh but of course, why else would you come…" Alice half whispered, new tears running down her face as she chocked on a sob, rushing by Tarrant her misery radiating of her like a tragic beauty. Quickly the Hatter's anger vanished, and he half reached out trying to stop, to see what was wrong and make her smile.

"Alice, what, wait-" Tarrant turned towards her, but she wouldn't stop, instead half running down the hall before she could make a bigger fool of herself. He looked back at the Cat and glared his fury quickly returning.

"What did ye do to her, ya cur!" The Hatter shouted as he lunged for the Cat. Cheshire quickly vanished, leaving the Hatter clutching air.

"Och ye coward come back and fight like a man," Hatter shouting to the wind, shaking his fist.

"I am a Cat, not a man, a Cheshire Cat in fact," Chess' disembodied voice quipped.

"You both are idiots, two peas in a pod, no bigger fools then you," Chess taunted. He was tired of the game the two played. At least they were of the same species.

"I wish you would make sense!" Hatter responded falling to a heap against the railing.

"If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride…" the voice called back

AN: Oh no…silly Hatter, poor Alice…and now Chess stuck in the middle. Also, should I have a chapter of Iracebeth's trek to Marmoreal or simply jump forward? Y'all tell me R&R poppets, or how else am I to know how I am doing?


	10. The Deer

AN: A labor of love poppets and as such, I think you should review I work for y'all, I'm just asking for a little love back

Underland

Iracebeth was tired. Her feet were aching, she hadn't eaten in a very long time, and she wasn't quite sure where she was. This entire endeavor was beginning to look like a fool's errand. If Stayne had just listened to her, he'd be alive and probably already be telling Mirana by now. Ugh, damn the man!

Iracebeth knew she should be grateful, he had saved her life, but right now she was mad. Mad at him, at Mirana, at the mystery soldier, at all of Underland! But most of all, she was mad at herself. Besides, she was always better at being angry then being sad.

As she continued on her way, hoping she was going in the right direction she wanted to scream in frustration. Due to the whole, "No one would show her any kindness," edict that her sister had proclaim, no being that she passed would tell her if she was going in the right direction. For all she knew she was going in the opposite direction. In fact, based on her luck, she probably was. Iracebeth tripped over a meandering tree branch, and as she landed on her face she let out a scream. Her face grew red and contorted in rage and she thrashed on the ground kicking and slamming her tiny fists into the ground, tears streaming down her face.

Iracebeth sensed the heartbeat coming, before it got so close, but she expected it to simply continue on its as so many more had done. With some surprise she realized it had stop, and was standing above her. She didn't need to look to see it wasn't the Stranger from earlier; the heart beat was far too calm. She lay there a bit longer and then looked up. It was a Deer.

"Great. Look, I am sorry if I ordered you beheaded, and well since you are a Deer you probably died protecting someone, so all in all, I am sorry I am sure you were a right merry chap, but please could you hold off on the vengeance bit a second. I need to get to Marmoreal to warn my sister. I would just tell you and be done with it, but your lot doesn't talk so that would be a bit silly," Iracebeth pulled herself up and looked at the Deer. It was a huge beast, one of the biggest she ever had seen but what put her off were the eyes. The Deer were reincarnations of Noble Warriors, any Underlandian who had made the ultimate sacrifice for either Land or Queen, or even family. They never spoke, simply walked about Underland, a silent protector as such, and rarely became involved in the lives of the living. The eyes though, they were supposed to be the very eyes they had when they were alive and as such, Iracebeth expected to see anger, hate, disgust and instead she saw compassion, and a bit of love. They almost looked like Stayne's, except he would never get to be a Deer; she had polluted his soul too much for him to get a chance to be such a noble beast.

The Deer looked at her for a moment then turned towards the east. Iracebeth stared back at it, wondering if perhaps somehow the Deer would be immune to Mirana's decree, for no one really understood how the Deer worked. The Deer became impatient and gently butted his head against her shoulders and then looked back towards the east. Was it telling her where to go?

"Are you leading me?" Iracebeth questioned becoming more and more confused. The Deer looked back at her as if she was stupid and she could almost hear Stayne's voice in her head to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Alright, I am trusting you. But know this, if you are leading me astray, you have doomed Underland," Iracebeth warned, summoning what little Queenly authority she had left in her voice to warn the beast. The Deer simply stared back, a daring look in its eyes. Iracebeth took a deep breath and then followed after the Deer hoping it was not a trick.

AN: Sigh…ok so I added a bit of Celtic Folklore to the story I was told stories about how the Deer were noble warriors who have passed sent back to protect the land for the generations after them…so I hope no one minds well I am glad that this chapter is over, and sorry if y'all feel like I distorted her character….


	11. The Nightmare

Mamoreal

"Alice…sweet, sweet Alice you've doomed him my dear, you've doomed them all…" a voice whispered. Alice found herself in a maze, running trying to find the Hatter, trying to find Tarrant. Where could he be? The maze was dark with skeletons reaching from the bushes and black roses dotted around her. She was in the nightdress Tarrant had made her shortly after her arrival.

"Oh silly Alice, you can't save them, they are going to die, cursing your name," the voices hissed. Alice kept running, looking for any sign of them when suddenly she tripped. She reached out with her hands to break her and felt them slip on something wet. She brought her hands up and saw that they were slick with something red. She looked behind her to see what she tripped on and saw Mirana, her white dress staining red, her face frozen in terror with a gash across her neck. Alice felt the screams bubbling out of her, this was wrong, it couldn't be. What was happening?

"This is only the beginning Alice, only the beginning…" the voice mocked her. Alice just kept screaming, tears running down her face. This had to be fake, there was no way the White Queen laid dead before, Mirana was as much part of Underland as the air, as the very ground it was built upon.

Tarrant was roaming the halls trying to calm his mind when he heard her screams. He ran towards her rooms, eyes flashing, towards the woman who kept his mind active deep into the night. He burst through the door and saw Alice screaming and thrashing in her bed, as if she was engaged in a fearsome battle with bed spread. He would have laughed if he hadn't heard those terrible screams and seen the tears streaming down her face.

"Alice, Alice, wake up, it's just a dream, love, wake up" Tarrant yelled at her, clutching her shoulders, giving her a brisk shake. He didn't remember dashing from the doorway to her bedside, just knew something snapped in him when he saw her tears.

Her hand struck out a defensive blow, making contact with his face, breaking his nose, his red blood bursting out, staining the white bed sheets with the crimson jewels. Tarrant let out a few curse words as he dropped her and brought his hands to his face. It hurt like the dickens but he didn't want her to awake to his blood everywhere.

"Tarrant?" Alice asked, her voice hoarse from her screams, her eyes opening to her surroundings, then seeing the blood. She blanched, memories from her nightmare coming back to her.

"Why, why are you bleeding?" Alice put her hands gently on his face, tipping his head back. She could already see the shadow spreading under his eyes.

"Itsh finshe" Tarrant tried to reassure her, more concerned on what was happening to her then his nose.

"No, no its not. Come on; let's go see if we can find something in the kitchen to fix you up with. I may not be Mirana, but I can fix this, I swear," Alice tried to reassure him. She didn't want to have to call the White Queen to comfort Tarrant. If she saw Mirana's hands on her Hatter, well she may be driven to do something very unAlice like.

Tarrant followed Alice to the kitchen very down trodden. He had wanted to comfort her, rescue her in a sense, but fuddled it up and now it was Alice taking care of him. Bet the Abovelander wouldn't be having this problem, bet he was all smooth and rescue-y.

The pair trudged to the kitchen, Alice tugging the Hatter by his left hand as his right held onto his abused nose. They looked so very pathetic that it took all of Chess' will power not to laugh, but he knew Mally would be angry indeed if anyone even suspected that he was leaving her room this late at night.

AN: another chapter finished thank you for the reviews Lydia and Valerie and now our new friend Ranguvar27…well till next time poppets


	12. Kitchen Encounter

AN: I've been re-reading and noticing a lot of typos. I am so sorry! I'll try to catch them all before I publish, but I have no beta and since my brain knows what's supposed to be there, I miss it. I will try harder poppets, so sorry.

Marmoreal

Alice had the Hatter sitting at the bar in the Thackery's kitchen, holding a bit of ice to his nose. She had done her best to clean him up and when she had to push it back into place she thought he would wake the whole castle up, but now that he was just sitting there with the ice pressed to his face she began to wonder if he would prefer Mirana to be with him now.

"Should I get Mirana?" Alice nervously asked. She didn't want to surrender the Hatter just yet. Just being in his presence after the lengthy separation was soothing to her, but if Tarrant need the White Queen, she'd find her at once.

"No, no, I am fine. Now tell me, why were you thrashing about and crying when I came in?" The Hatter asked. He wanted to comfort Alice and he had already bungled it up by getting his nose broken. Why he thought he could be smooth was beyond him…his title was the Mad Hatter after all.

"It was a nightmare, nothing really…" Alice answered, twisting her hands together and looking at her feet. She didn't want to relive the horrid dream. Even with all the confusion, she knew that she never wanted to see the White Queen like that again.

"Well, I know I am not an Abovelander, but you can tell me," the Hatter offered. She had a sad, lost kinda look in her eyes again, much like what she did when she spoke of her father.

"Why do you do that?" Alice demanded to know, slapping her hands to her side in frustration. Ever since she came back, it was like Tarrant was trying to remind her that she was from Above and he Under, when had it become to matter so much?

"Do what?" The Hatter innocently inquired, his eyebrows rising up.

"Keep reminding me I am from Aboveland, do you not want me here?" Alice tried to choke back the tears but it was so hard. She was very much confused and this new Hatter was not the Hatter she knew, the Hatter she loved.

"Not want you? Why Alice, don't you know? I love you…" Tarrant admitted with a scrunched up, confused look on his face. Did Alice really not know? He thought he had made himself quite clear…

"Impossible!" Alice squeaked. She dares not believe, dares not hope. She thought he loved the Queen. But here he was, confessing to loving her.

"Well, I didn't know it was impossible when I did it…so here we are," Hatter informed her matter of factly.

"Did what?" Alice was becoming light headed. She must be asleep still. This has to be a dream. It had seemed so clear that he and the Queen, but now it all seemed so different.

"Why fall in love with you silly Alice," Tarrant was beginning to get a headache. He thought he was clear. He had asked her to stay.

"But the Queen…" Alice protested weakly. Things were starting to look a lot differently. That was why Absolem had called her stupid and Chess thought her moronic.

"Well the Queen is splendid, and I do so enjoy hatting her, but you Alice, well, you are so very Alice-y and have quite stolen my heart," the Hatter informed her earnestly. He was exactly sure what was happening but from the look on Alice's face he was beginning to think she may just love him too.

"Oh Tarrant, I have been rather foolish, haven't I?" Alice laughed weakly. Tarrant, her Mad Hatter, loved her, Alice Kingsleigh, not the White Queen. This was stupendous! Wondrous! Grand! In fact it was very much quite right.

"Does this mean you love me too?" Tarrant half whispered, grabbing onto her hands and staring into her eyes.

"Yes, Tarrant, I do love you, very much so," Alice replied, a smile spreading across her lips. Tarrant stared at her a moment longer and then smiled a gaped tooth grin back at her and for a moment they were both stunned by the revelations that had just happened. Then, the Hatter did what he had thought of doing since she had left him. He drew his Alice into his arms and bent his head down, capturing her in a kiss.

Mirana, The White Queen, watched from the corner of the doorway as her Hatter and her Champion kissed, happy they had finally admitted their love for each other. She watched a moment longer then turned to go back to her rooms. She could survive without her midnight snack.

AN: Finally those silly kids can stop dancing around each other being all tragic for no reason! Especially since Iracebeth is almost there and Croft is hot on her heels!


	13. Marmoreal

AN: I have no words. I may not have the biggest following on this story but I feel like I have the most loyal Thank you poppets, all of your reviews inspire me and make writing this truly fun

Marmoreal

"Well Deer, it seems I was right to trust you," Iracebeth turned a half smiling face to the creature. They had come to a stop on a hill and beyond the trees she could see dawn breaking behind the marble stones of her sister's castle. It had been many years since she had last seen it, long before Horunvendush Day, and she was once again struck by how very beautiful it was. Iracebeth was relieved to make it to the castle after her journey; she was tired of the 5 day walk even though the last 3 days were not as bad since she had the silent companionship of the Deer with her.

"Well, here comes the hard part…convincing Mirana I am not lying to them and that this isn't a trick. Wish me luck Deer, this is going to be next to impossible," Iracebeth sadly joked. She was nervous about the coming meeting and strangely did not want to leave the Deer's side. Something about him reminded Iracebeth about Stayne and it left her comforted.

Iracebeth walked down the hill towards the front of the palace her hair hanging loosely from her shoulders, her dress ripped and stained. She looked like a peasant and the guards she passed by made no move to stop. Even with her unfortunate head, she looked so unlike Iracebeth, The Red Queen, no one even suspected it could be her. She turned her head back the way she came to take one more glance at the Deer and saw it standing there, proud and strong, so much like Stayne. She hoped wherever he ended up, he was at peace, for he would have never been the monster he was if not for her.

Alice was the first to spot the woman, standing at the steps, looking behind her. She looked vaguely familiar, like a woman from a nightmare, toying at the edges of Alice's mind but still not putting a name to the face.

"Excuse me, Can I help you?" Alice asked walking up to the woman.

"Yes, The Red Queen is right behind me. She freed herself, and is coming to kill the White Queen, you have to stop her!" the Woman grabbed Alice's arms, tears streaming down her face. Alice looked into her eyes so dark that they were almost black and knew she had to protect this Woman.

AN: I know…uber short, just had a busy week, promise next chapter will be longer…


	14. A Mad World

AN: Ok, so some have a few questions. The Woman Alice is speaking to is NOT Iracebeth. Yes Dormouse and Chess have something; there will be a side story later. No, I will not have Alice and Woman smut and on that note, I will allude to certain carnal activities but I will not be going into details. I'm just not that kind of writer lol I have none of those skills so shall we continue on our way?

Marmoreal

"Unhand her Alice!" Chess yelled out, eyes wide with fright. Whatever it was that held the Champion's gaze smelled of blood and rotting flesh, and where Alice heard wind chimes, Chess heard the screams of the innocent. It was truly terrible for sure, whatever creature seemed to be enchanting the Alice.

Iracebeth heard the Cheshire shout to Alice and ran towards the steps. Once there what she saw frightened the Red Queen in a way nothing had before. There Alice stood, her wild man falling past her down her back, with what looked like a young woman clutching at her. There seemed to be a black aura surrounding her and while Iracebeth could hear the heart beats of everyone else, the Woman's seemed to be silent.

"Leave her be, Woman, she's not even Underlandian," Iracebeth warned. She knew her powers would be ineffective against this thing, but she couldn't let Alice fall so soon. A Queen needs a champion for war, and Alice was such.

"Oh, I don't know Iracebeth, she smells like a Hatter, in fact, I think she's as Underlandian as you…" the Woman hissed. In that moment, the very air seemed to become charged and a black mist started to drift closer to the four.

Suddenly, a beam of light, from Iracebeth's very magnificent and terrible head shot out towards the Woman, blinding Alice. Iracebeth's body jerked and her eyes faded to white as if she was a paper doll being illuminated by a candle. Where the light touched the Woman she seemed to burn and terrible scream began to fill the air.

"This isn't the end Iracebeth, I'll be back. Nothing can save you or Mirana now!" And as suddenly as she was there she was gone. Iracebeth collapsed to the ground, unconscious as Alice and Chess stared at her prostrate form.

"Something curious is happening, Chess, something curious indeed," Alice whispered, feeling as though a heavy fog was leaving her brain. A Deer was now walking up, to poke and prod at the Red Queen, finally picking her up and cradling her in his horns. He then simply stared at Chess, an intent kind of stare that almost always imparts a length of information with depths mere talking could never equal.

"You are right, Sir Deer, to the White Queen then," Chess answered, poofing from sight.

Alice was very confused. The Red Queen had saved her, and then turned into a giant beam of light. It seemed the world had gone even more mad, and now a Deer was walking by her, intent on taking her once enemy to the Queen. And when had Chess become so…in charge? Yes, the world had indeed gone even more mad, and for this she would need her Mad Hatter in order to make sense.

AN: well…it is longer ;) alright, so she smells of death, intense light seems to piss her off, so far we have seen her in the night and dawn, oh….and Iracebeth can turn into a flashlight lol…I love curve balls. I promise poppets, next chapter the Woman shall be revealed oh…and now I must change this to Angst :/ I was informed it was more angst-y than anything lol


	15. A Confusing Answer

AN: Sorry dearies, I have a lot of real world responsibilities…but here we go, another chapter…perhaps one with more realizations

Marmoreal

"Can someone please tell me what that was?" Alice asked from her shelter in the Hatter's arms. When Tarrant had learned that Alice had been in danger he refused to allow her to leave his arms again. It was a comforting predicament Alice found herself in, one she was in no hurry to have ended.

Alice knew not who to turn to, Chess who seemed strangely in charge, the newly resuscitated Red Queen who was now an ally, Sir Deer, or the White Queen who was staring at her sister with a wordless hope shining from her eyes. This world seemed to have turned upside down again, and Alice was as confused as when she first came back to Underland.

"That was a great evil, something not alive but pretending to be," Iracebeth answered her eyebrows puckering in the middle. She wished it was 6 days ago, when she was sitting in banishment with Stayne, not here with her sister looking at her like she was redeemable. Her crimes were unforgivable, how could they be? Iracebeth couldn't even forgive herself.

"Well, its daytime, I do not think we should have to worry, because when the Red Queen flipped her top, it burned it, so we have time at least," Chess said, staring at the White Queen. He wondered if she even knew the danger she brought, or if she was still under the _Tabula Rasa_ her mother put her in. Knowing the Queen Mother's magic, that was one that would not wear off without some help.

"She's not the only concern, she has a knight. He killed Stayne." Iracebeth whispered her eyes starting to tear. She wanted that man's guts for garters, and then she'd return to the Outerlands and continue her exile.

Alice felt a peculiar tugging at her heart when she looked at the Red Queen. She looked so small and sad. Not for the first time, Alice wondered about the Queen. She could be cruel, but at the same time, when Alice was Um, and very large, the Queen immediately took her in. Perhaps the Red Queen was more complicated then they first thought. Either way, even though Stayne had tried to kill her, The Red Queen, looked very sad indeed.

"Och, to war we go then! We'll take the Knight and his Lady," the Hatter spoke up for the first time. He was extremely agitated, between new threats and the Queen who once tried to behead Alice, it was too much. All he knew, Alice and Underland were in danger and he needed to protect both.

"It's not as simple as that," the Blue Caterpillar said from his perch beside the White Queen. Absalom had returned from his journey and had spoken very little. Nothing was definite was all he would say. Not even the Oraculum knew for sure what was to happen, and that had very nearly never happened before.

"I thought not," Chess shook his head. This was very much a bind they were in. He looked at Mallymkun, wondering if he'd even have time to convince her that difference is merely something they had in common.

"What do ye mean, ya curr?" Hatter was becoming increasing annoyed. He was hearing whispers in his head, trying to drive him more mad. To lose his head. Too late.

"I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying." Chess answered before popping. He needed to find the Sage Bush. His duty to Underland surpassed his duty to its inhabitants.

AN: I have no words. Sorry it's taken me so long. Just had some bad stuff and I was all distracted. I'll do better dears, I promise.


	16. The Sage Bush

AN: Sorry poppets

Hatter's Bedroom

"Slice, slice quick as mice. Make her tiny, she'll never leave…slice, slice, quick as mice"

Tarrant jerked awake, sweat pouring off his body, shaking trying not to scream. There were whispers in his head, telling him to hurt Alice. It didn't feel like the same kind of madness either. It was new, darker, and it was not his own. He threw back the dark grey sheets and stepped softly out of bed, careful not to disturb Alice.

"Cut her Hatter, tiny pieces. She stole Hatter, she stole from us…" a woman's voice whispered. Tarrant clutched his head trying to make the voice stop. He would not hurt Alice. He loved her. He tried thinking of where he was. The White Queen had told him to try to think of the present when madness tried to suck him under. There was stone beneath his feet, a mirror on the wall. The Alice in his bed.

"Now Tarrant! Crush her! Punish her! Make her pay! Make Her give back what is ours!" The voice shouted. The pain was becoming too intense and Hatter stumbled under the weight, a groan escaping his lips. He stumbled and fell to the ground, curling into a ball, shaking. The stone was cold on his naked upper body and he could feel the cotton of his pajama pants rubbing on his legs. It felt as though the entire world has become a sensation and it was crushing him under it's weight.

"Tarrant?" Alice called out into the dark, reaching for the spot where his body should have been. She was puzzled, confused. Alice felt as though something was wrong…the very air tasted…dark, evil…very, very wrong.

"Run, Alice! Run" Tarrant hoarsely shouted rolling on the ground looking as if he was battling himself, trying to keep control.

Alice wanted to stay, and half moved towards Tarrant when his head snapped up and they locked eyes. They were not green or yellow but a blood red, and the look in them was like nothing she had ever seen on his face, not even for the Knave or the Red Queen. It was not her Hatter.

"Lil' Bitch!" Tarrant half rose before throwing himself back to the ground, hitting himself in fact.

Alice moved quickly, darting from the bed to the door and slamming it shut behind her. Quickly she ran down the hall to Mirana's room.

Tempest' Teacup

Chess found what he was looking for in the very back of the woods called Tempest' Teacup. It was a dark place near the Outerlands. The kind of places only the foolish and the desperate went. Or those who could evaporate around the danger. In the darkest place in the woods grew the Sage Bush, something of terrible beauty.

"You have come young Guardian of Underland seeking to undo what has been done?" The Sage Bush asked. Chess bowed down low in front of the Sage Bush. She…He..It…was at least 7ft tall and was a blue green tint. The Sage Bush looked more like a tree then bush, stretching towards the sky, but still smaller than the surrounding woods. It had a voice that was melodious and danced as if it was wind and white, cloudy eyes. There was no nose or even ears. Just the eyes and a mouth with branches curving up from the ground, twisting and turning. One did not speak to the Sage Bush, simply presented oneself to it and waited for what it would say.

"Lift the veil, reveal the secrets…it's the only way to not see blood today…" The Sage Bush sang. Chess now knew that his only recourse would be to remove the _Tabula Rasa _and hope that chaos would not erupt around him.

"Hurry, tonight the Hatter will fall to the Black Knight and the Champion shall flood the world with her tears, unless…unless the clock strikes 13," the Sage Bush gave a shake and black goo poured out of it's eyes. Cheshire quickly popped, racing to stop his only friend from falling.

AN: Ok, think of those bushes/trees that grow in clumps and have like 12 different stumps growing at once….and hey…I'm back


	17. Hidden Passages and Sgguirly Slurg

AN: Hope this is soon enough for ya ChillyRilly ;)

Mirana's Bedroom

Mirana was jerked awake by her door being slammed shut, which was not as unusual as it should have been. But when one's friends were all mad, well it tended to lead to nighttime disturbances.

"Alice?" Mirana sleepily questioned, rubbing her eyes for a second, a bit unsure as to what was happening.

"Alice, dear, where are your clothes?" Mirana asked her, puzzlement on her face. While nighttime visitors are not unusual, _naked _nighttime visitors was a bit rarer.

"It's Tarrant…something has happened, he's possessed…I think he wants to kill me…" Alice rushed out and then suddenly there was something pounding on the door. Alice was struggling to keep them closed as the doors were shook and pounded.

Mirana quickly moved into action, grabbing a poker from her fireplace and placing it through the double door knobs in an attempt to keep the doors closed.

"Come Alice, this way…" Mirana grabbed her nightwrap and gave it to Alice before pulling on a sconce and the mirror by her vanity swung open revealing a tunnel and shoving Alice through.

"Where does it lead?" Alice placed her left hand on the wall while clutching the White Queen's arm with her right.

"The garden, in fact right in the middle of the maze…" Mirana answered, eyes straining to see in the dark, missing the look that came over Alice's face.

Underland

Chess was popping up all over the place, hurrying to find what he needed. The _Tabula Rasa _was a difficult bit of potion and needed quite a few ingredients in order to make the reversal potion. Blood of tree worm from the Tulgey Wood, mud from Gummer Slough, a bit of thyme, a dash of forget-me-nots, and a lock of hair from a sgguirly slurg. The most difficult would be tears from the two Queens of Underland…then again, both looked on the verge of tears last Chess saw them.

Finally after convincing the sgguirly slurg that it was quite necessary to take a few hairs from it's under pits, Chess was racing towards Marmoreal, hoping he was not too late, and that the March Hare was lucid enough to make some "soup".


	18. The Death of A Hero

AN: I've seemed to have lost a lot of readers makes me sad…but I shall continue on for those who are still reading…I'm hoping that more are reading but not choosing to review, which I respect, because I don't always review other works lol

Marmoreal's Garden Maze

"Hurry Alice," Mirana was pulling Alice through the twist and turns as they run from the center of the maze. Mirana kept looking behind worried that they were being followed. When Tarrant was enraged, he could be a formidable opponent.

Alice was half running, while glancing about her in terror. The garden looked like nothing from her nightmare, but still…what if Mirana really did get hurt? Suddenly, Alice smelled something that tickled the back of her mind. It smelled of salt water and English roses, with a bit of wood mixed it. It smelled like home and "The White Queen."

The two women burst through the white gate at the entrance of the maze, and standing before them was a man, tall and lean with a haunted look to his face, pale skin with deep circles under black eyes. He held a sword in his hand; it stained with blood, and pointed it at the pair. Mirana was at once intrigued, this person whispered to her, like the dead did…except he wasn't quite, only nearly.

"Give it back," his voice sounded odd, as if he was talking through dirt, and Mirana felt as if she was drawn to him, like she wanted to touch him. She looked over him, head to toe, then to his arm that was holding the sword. Mirana saw it then, carved into his skin, "Stayne, Knave of Hearts," and she knew this was the monster that had attacked her sister. She was grateful that it was Alice next to her and not Iracebeth, for terrifying sister would have latched onto what life he had left and made him feel like she was slowly ripping his very flesh off for what he had done. No simple "Off with his head," for this creature. Mirana took a deep breath and released Alice's arm,

"Give what back, sir?" Mirana was very careful to not make any sudden moves, which was hard, for her body almost preferred to be in constant motion, an occurrence she was almost sure was caused by the fact that since she dwelled with the dead in the sense, her body needed to remember it was alive.

"You took the key. Hid it in a heart. Give it back." The man spoke slowly, his grip tightening on his sword, his weight shifting. His eyes went to Alice, and for a second they turned to blue, and his very heartbeat changed its rhythm. He looked like he had been living in the comfort of the moon and now the sun had come. Mirana tried to squelch the slight hitch of jealousy, which was so very against her nature, that popped up.

"Miss Alice…" the man whispered his voice almost normal again. For a second, he looked as if he had hope, but then pain contorted his features and he closed his eyes against it. When he opened them, they were black again, his heart back to hummingbird speed.

Alice stepped from behind the White Queen, her expression of curiosity. She could not believe. How had he come to be here?

"Captain Croft, how, why…?" Alice questioned in amazement. She felt as if she had not seen him in years but in truth it had been only a week. How long ago it seemed that she was dodging his courtship attempts and dreaming of Underland and her Hatter.

"You know each other?" Mirana joked, suddenly becoming wary. This person must be the Abovelander that Gunnarr has spoken of…curious that he was here now.

There was a shot from the castle as a half-dressed Hatter, Mallymkun with her pin needle sword already swishing furiously and Gunnarr barking like mad to summon all the guards rushed towards them. Briefly Mirana wondered why Iracebeth was not with them, but perhaps she was still as heavy a sleeper as when they were children.

Captain Croft turned towards the rushing bunch and took a more aggressive stance. Before a word could be spoken, Gunnarr let out a horrendous growl and lunged towards the man's face. Croft flung his arm in front of his face to protect himself as Tarrant took up a protective stance near Alice and little Mallymkun stood in front of the Queen with her pin sword in front and an arm thrown behind her.

Croft was able to toss Gunnarr off, but Gunnarr was ferocious and went for his ankles instead. The rest looked on in shocked amazement, unable to believe the ferocity that Gunnarr was displaying.

"It's his smell…smells like death, makes Bloodhounds jumpy," Mallymkun tersely explained as her tiny eyes followed the action.

As quick as the fight began, it was over, as Croft lifted the sword above his head and plunged it down, into the back of Gunnarr. Mirana let out a shout and Alice grabbed the broadsword that Tarrant had brought and presented herself to Croft.

"You'll pay Croft," Alice swore, tears blinding her eyes. She did not know how he had come to be here, but somehow he was involved in the evil that was attacking Underland, and now he had killed young Gunnarr.

Croft simply smiled at Alice and then in a swirl of black mist was gone, leaving behind a woman's mocking laughter.

The Mist

"Shhh, my pet, we are close." The Woman crooned as Croft withered in pain on the ground. He felt as if his very soul was on fire, and as he looked down at his right hand, beneath the name of Stayne, "Gunnarr, Son of Bayard" was newly carved into his flesh.

AN: sad face Gunnarr is dead…and where was Iracebeth? Hmmmm Chess better hurry up


	19. The Guardians

AN: blown away by some new reviews I receive, thanks so much guys. This is just a short bit to show what Iracebeth was doing while everyone was in the garden

Marmoreal-Iracebeth's bed chamber

Iracebeth could not sleep. She was exhausted. Her body and soul had spent as much as they could, but still somehow, she couldn't just lay her head down and sleep. That's how Absolem found her. Sitting in a chair, directly across from the bed, staring at said bed as if any moment it was going to come alive and try to eat her.

"Hmmm….a carnivore bed…." Absolem muses while blowing hookah smoke from his ever present pipe.

"Leave me Blue Caterpillar," the Red Queen orders, her eyes never leaving the bed. She could not lay there, on a _bed_, it somehow felt like a betrayal to Stayne…for her to experience any kind of creature comfort after costing him his life.

"Well you're missing the fun…" Absolem informed her, more smoke whirling around him till he disappeared.

Iracebeth looked back at where the caterpillar had been with an incredulous look on her face. What fun? It was then she had the scream…it seemed to come from the window, the one opened to her sister's garden. She wandered over and that was when she saw it. She saw the young Bloodhound dive at the accursed swordsman and witnessed him strike down the mutt down. Iracebeth quickly turned around, meaning to rush to the garden intent on her vengeance but when she threw open her door, the Deer stood in her way.

"Move!" Iracebeth screamed, bringing her hands up to push the Deer to the side. She felt as if her soul was on fire, and she felt tears threatening to blind her as she chocked on a wild sob. The Deer did not budge, simply stared at her silently, his dark eyes probing hers'.

"Either say something or Move! I cannot waste my time with you, you stupid BEAST!" Iracebeth pushed and pulled on the large Animalia with as much strength as she could manage but he did not budge, simply kept eye contact with her. Iracebeth started to shake her tiny fist at him as tears streamed quickly down her face, falling into her hair. She screamed and sobbed and hit at the deer till she sank to her knees in front of him. She felt as if a great weight was crushing her and as if her entire being was going to be buckle under the immensity of the emotion that this Deer's silent gaze had brought on.

As Iracebeth raged at the Deer and Alice and company mourned over the loss of Gunnarr, a cat floated invisible to his comrade's side, a touch of forget-me-nots in his paw to awaken the bewitched Hatter.

"Alice?" was Tarrant's first question when he was released from the Woman's mist.

"In the Garden Maze with the Queen and others, and Sir Deer is handling an emotional Iracebeth, so it is up to us old friend," Cheshire informed the Hatter. The Hatter looked knowledgably at his old friend. It seemed that since he was a tad bit mad, most of his delightful friends seemed to forget exactly who he was, which in most cases served him well, but tonight, he had to put aside the tea cups and do his duty. His family had served the Guardians for as long as Underland has Guardians, and tonight he would do his part.

"Should I awake Thackery?" Tarrant inquired to Chess. Regardless of their rolls during the best of times and sometimes even in the worst of times, when Underland was truly in danger of coming apart, Tarrant knew he had to defer to the Cat in all things.

"Oh I expect he is already in the Kitchen, awaiting the arrival of the ingredients of _Tabula Rasa. _I need you to retrieve Mirana, as Sir Deer is already working on Iracebeth. Tonight, the truth will light our way and lead us into battle old friend. Best kiss the champion as well," and with that, Chess poofed away, to join the other Guardians in the Kitchen.


	20. A Guardian's Panic

AN: I don't own Alice. That is quite obvious.

Marmoreal-The Kitchen

"Now Thackery, I understand that it was the Queen Mother's wish, but Underland requires it. I need you to do this. Just make the damn _Tabula Rasa_!" Chess yelled as he dissipated in an attempt to avoid another spoon. It seemed that Thackery was further gone then the dear Hatter, but still as the Guardian's Potion Master he was going to have to pull through. He had to.

"Tis' boggin!" Tarrant muttered as he paced the kitchen shaking his head, eyes flashing gold, as he looked on at the dance between Thackery and Chess. It never seemed to occur to Chess that despite his high and grand stature, the rest of them were mad, bad, and glad to be rid of memories best left in the past. Asking them to simply put the last fifty years behind them, to undo what the Queen Mother did that terrible night, was not as easy as Chess would expect. Thackery thought the world of her, and would hate to cause her pain in her eternal slumber by betraying her. Still, Hatter knew it was a necessary betrayal, for if Underland fell apart, what would be the point. Then again, if Tarrant was being perfectly honest, he was really doing this not for Chess, the Guardians, the Queen Sisters, or anyone else, but in reality, for Alice.

Somehow, while Tarrant had been lost in his own muddled thoughts, Chess was able to convince Thackery to begin working on the _Tabula Rasa. _While Thackery mixed, shouted, and threw, Chess floated over him, muttering what sounded like a nursery rhyme-

"Lift the veil, reveal the secrets…

It's the only way to not see blood today…"

-while looking at Tarrant like at any second he was going to snap. Chess was tense, knowing that they were racing against time, unable to tell his friend what the Sage Bush warned in fear that he would cause what he sought to keep from happening. He knew of only one way to avoid the world from turning topsy turvy and that was to complete the _Tabula Rasa_, bring light to the darkness, and undo the terrible spell that the Queen Mother wrought to protect a beloved child.

Marmoreal-The Throne Room

"There must be something that can be done! We cannot have just lost that fiend to the mist!" Mallymukin grumbled, slashing her needle sword through the air, the whip of it sharp and staccato to the ears of her silent companions. There was a shocked atmosphere around the group, disbelief coloring the faces of all. How could Gunnaar be gone? It seemed like so much waste, a life so young, cut down. For Alice, it was doubly hard, for not only was she still struggling to adjust to the fact that her loyal first mate was in fact, an Animalia, but he was dead at the hands of the young Captain Croft. Alice's mind recoiled at the memory of the soulless madness that encompassed the Abovelander. It seemed especially dark and twisted, making Stayne seem docile in comparison. In the midst of it all, Alice also felt a twinge of guilt. Though she knew it was wrong, Alice could not help but feel like somehow she has caused these events that it was her sole doing that brought this new darkness to Underland. In fact, the feeling was like a whisper in her mind, constant and elusive…playing at the edge, courting a dark type of madness…


	21. A Cold Champion

Marmoreal-The Throne Room

It seemed unreal to Alice, the events of that night, twisted almost. Finally, she had found herself in Tarrant's arms, safe and loved, and all too quickly she was ripped from them by an attack of madness upon her dear Hatter. Even stranger, was seeing Captain Croft here in her Underland, and see him cut down her first mate. It was too much. Life in Underland was very much too Topsy Turvy. For a moment, Alice let herself imagine climbing back up the rabbit hole and doing exactly as her sister said. For just a moment, Alice let herself lose her muchness waver, and felt herself give into the despair…and that was all the time IT needed…

The Mist

"Yessss!" Croft heard the Woman yell. He looked at her from his place on the floor and saw her face glow with an evil, terrible smile. It was the kind of smile that made you realize that horrible things were about to happen. At this sight, another part of Croft's soul seemed to slip from her grasp, as the thought was smiles brought forth the memory of warm ocean nights, in the company of an enchanting woman whose smiles always hinted at adventures and riddles…

The Woman felt Croft start to slip from her grasp but she worried not. Soon, Croft would die from the injuries to his soul took over. Killing those who fought to protect Underland would do one of two things; either drives the killer into a daze, swelling their being with malice or kill a weaker fighter. Croft's very soft love of Alice, and his despair at her jilting was not enough to power the malice needed to keep him alive against Underland's Revenge. Granted, it probably did not help that she was slowly sucking any light out of his soul that was left so that she could go after the real prize. The soul of a Champion.

Marmoreal-The Throne Room

"Alice…Alice….shhh dear….come rest…." Alice heard a whisper at the back of her mind, beckoning her. It was a woman's voice as sweet and soft as a winter breeze, and Alice felt icy exhaustion seep into her bones. She wanted to go to it, and partake in the rest it offered, but she should stay…shouldn't she…

"Alice, you cannot save them. You are naught but a girl…come rest….lay your head down…" Alice shook herself as she felt a haze begin to caress her. The other's voices began to dim, becoming a faint buzzing at the back of her head. She became very aware of her own body, the way her hair grazed her back, the cold stone floor beneath her feet, the dry feeling to her empty eyes and the itchy, salty paths that her tears had left on her cheeks. Her scalp began to itch and it seemed like everyone was getting further from her. Like they were walking down a dark tunnel.

"Come Alice, just rest, you don't want to kill them…like you did Gunnar" the woman's voice turned darker, marked with impatience. Alice's heart stopped. Had she killed Gunnar? It was Croft wasn't it and Alice fought to remember the garden scene, she found it harder to remember who had killed Gunnar, perhaps it had been her? She had killed before, when she killed the Jabberwocky, but that was to save Underland wasn't it?

"Was it Alice? Or was it for Tarrant? Or for yourself? How do you, an Abovelander, have the right to decide who lives here?" The voice was harsher, and with each staccato word she dealt a blow to Alice's soul. Had she been wrong? It seemed so long ago. And yet….perhaps…it would be better to leave, besides who was she? Silly Alice, who thought she could think of six impossible things…

And with that, the Woman, clinging to old insecurities buried inside Alice, buried herself into Alice and with a small pop, Alice and her muchness was confined in a very small box in a faraway place. The Woman stretched inside Alice's skin and smiled her terrible smile, stretching the lips too far across her teeth, knowing that soon her revenge would be complete, and Mirivana would have plenty dead at her dainty little feet…


End file.
